International Photo Awards 2025 – Winners

First category
Gold US $500

SHINTO K ANTO

Image Name : Stripes
Faces of the Wild
A dense school of striped eel catfish flows like a living ribbon through the waters of Anilao, Philippines. Captured in black and white, the image highlights the hypnotic patterns and synchronised movement of these unique bottom-dwellers—a moment of order in the ocean's chaos.

Bence Máté

Image Name:Silent Scream
Wild Instincts

I am grateful for every single moment that my work has allowed me to spend on Bird Island, part of the Seychelles—an isolated coral sand island barely two kilometers across. Stepping onto its shores felt like stepping into a parallel world. The island’s wildlife, its atmosphere, and its essence were so vastly different from anything I had known back home that I was instantly captivated.

Bird Island is privately owned, and its caretakers have devoted decades to protecting it. In the 1980s, they successfully eradicated the last rat, an invasive species introduced by humans. This achievement, together with careful vegetation management, created the perfect conditions for birdlife to flourish. Today, the island is home to over 700,000 pairs of sooty terns. Although I visited outside their breeding season and saw only a few individuals, many other species were still nesting, even in November.

One afternoon, while waiting quietly to photograph white terns, I suddenly heard a sharp distress call. Nearby, an adult brown noddy was attacking a helpless chick of its own species for reasons I could not comprehend. Within moments, the chick collapsed, defenseless, and was set upon by crabs. Nearly ten surrounded it, dragging it into the bushes—a raw, haunting reminder of nature’s uncompromising order.


 

Mohammed Salman

Image Name:“Elephant Tease” — A quiet moment revealing the fragile balance between man and the wild.
Habitats and Reborn Lands, Climate Impact, Threats, Challenges, and Conservation

In this evocative frame, an elephant stands solitary on a carpet of green, its calm presence contrasted by the distant figures of people waving from across the water. The image captures the uneasy intersection of wilderness and human life — where curiosity, conflict, and coexistence all collide. The composition draws the eye from the wild giant to the human settlement beyond, narrating a silent story of shrinking habitats and growing encounters.


 

Second category
Silver US $350

Christina Schwenck

Image Name: Casting Off
Faces of the Wild

After a rainy night, we found this leopard sleeping in a tree. Shortly after waking up, he shook the rain out of his fur. A halo of water droplets surrounds the leopard's face, which, with one eye open, seemed to be looking at us. Kruger National Park, South Africa



 

Sarthak Agrawal

Image Name:lizard rumble
Wild Instincts

This rare moment captures two male fan-throated lizards locked in a fierce combat for territorial dominance and mating rights. Photographed at eye level, the image highlights the intensity of their struggle as each tries to overpower the other.

The shot was taken on a hilltop near Aurangabad, Maharashtra, where I spent considerable time observing their behavior. I noticed that males begin displaying their vivid throat fans early in summer, with clashes peaking just before the arrival of the monsoon. Such violent encounters occur only when both rivals are equally strong and determined.

Documenting this dramatic event demanded patience and endurance. I often spent long hours in the open grassland, exposed to 40+degree Celsius heat with little shade for relief. Despite numerous visits during the breeding season, I never again witnessed a fight as intense as this one.

Unfortunately, this very hilltop is surrounded by mines, posing a serious threat to the survival of this endemic species and its fragile habitat. For me, this photograph is more than a natural spectacle—it reflects the hidden dramas that unfold in our overlooked grasslands. Through this image, I hope to stress the urgent need to protect these ecosystems and the wildlife they sustain.


 

Claire Waring

Image Name: Hope and Despair
Habitats and Reborn Lands, Climate Impact, Threats, Challenges, and Conservation

On the beach at the edge of the Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve on Sulawesi, rangers had collected several piles of plastic bottles ready for recycling (Hope). Discarded elsewhere by humans, these had been washed up from the sea. The number in the piles was shocking, especially knowing they would soon be replaced by further discards (Despair). The Sulawesi crested macaques (Macaca nigra) have learnt that these bottles sometimes contain liquid and search for those from which they can drink, even chewing off the caps to reach the contents. Following the troop as it moved through the forest and then onto the beach was a challenge. As the macaques spent time going through the bottle piles, I lay down to get an eye-level, close-up view. This group is habituated to humans and totally ignored us. There are some 4000-6000 macaques on Sulawesi. The species is listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered. It is in decline, primarily because of being hunted for bushmeat, especially for celebrations. They are also hunted as pest because they can devastate crops. The vast amount of plastic carried round the world by the ocean currents is of global concern.



 

3rd category
Bronze US$200
 

Sarthak Agrawal    

Image Name:  Golden Dust
Faces of the Wild

This image shows a Eurasian hoopoe taking a dust bath at sunset. I first noticed this behavior in green bee-eaters on a quiet dusty road inside sugarcane fields near my home. Curious, I set up a small tent hide the next day to observe them closely, noting their dust-bathing spot, arrival time, and the direction of light.

Initially, I planned to shoot with the light behind me, but I soon realized that shooting against the light gave the scene a more dramatic glow.
Over the next two months, I spent about 15 days in total waiting for the perfect shot. And then, one day, an unexpected guest — this Eurasian hoopoe — landed right in front of me.

This frame is my favourite: the hoopoe, bathed in golden winter light, in the middle of its graceful dust bath.
Location- Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India"



 

Sarthak Agrawal    

Image Name:   A Warm Welcome 
Habitats and Reborn Lands, Climate Impact, Threats, Challenges, and Conservation

Every year, Flamingos migrate to the Jayakwadi Dam, the largest in Maharashtra, India, to spend their winters and early summers. It's a breathtaking sight as these majestic birds arrive, bringing a splash of color to the landscape. However, their welcome is far from ideal.
During this time, local farmers burn their fields, a common practice to clear the leftover straw after the harvest and prepare the land for the next crop. This creates a harsh environment filled with flames and pollution, making it difficult for the migratory guests to thrive.
This image, titled A Warm Welcome, captures the irony of the situation. The title highlights the metaphorical meaning behind the shot, showcasing the struggle these beautiful creatures face as they arrive, only to be greeted by an environment made hostile by human activities. Through this photo, I aim to highlight this issue which is very prominent, even in protected areas. 
Location- Jayakwadi bird sanctuary, Maharashtra, India."

Shailza Singhal     

Image Name: A Tender Pause!
Wild Instincts

In Amboseli, a mother elephant paused to feed her calf, creating a quiet, intimate moment on the open lake bed. The mother lifts one leg slightly, allowing her calf space to move closer and nurse. The rest of the herd moves in the background, creating a rhythm. This image captures a tender act of nurturing, showing the behavioral patterns and familial bonds of these gentle giants in their natural habitat.